Pattaya Crowded?

[zorro1]

Booked a room for friends diverting from BKK at the hard rock hotel. for 30% discount? 2200bht and receptionist said hotel very empty

[jupiler]

Maybe Pattaya is changing, but theyr have never been as much bars as theryr are now!

15 years ago theyr where only 2 disco's on WS, 3th road whas unknown, and soi baukaow had hardly any bars.

If you want to go shopping theyrs no better place in asia then Bangkok (not now unfortunately)

[CHdiver]

Maybe Pattaya is changing, but theyr have never been as much bars as theryr are now!

15 years ago theyr where only 2 disco's on WS, 3th road whas unknown, and soi baukaow had hardly any bars.

If you want to go shopping theyrs no better place in asia then Bangkok (not now unfortunately)

Hmm, Thailland yes, but Asia? Singapore, Hongkong maybe even Kuala Lumpur (got Stuff there not available at the time in Thailand).

Pattaya is missing some Tourists, however at the weekends its busy, maybe with the added holidays in Bangkok even the first 2 days of this week will be ok.

[RabC]

Its ridiculous to say that just because people are spending less in the beer bars that Pattaya is quiet.

All it means is the beer bars industry is in decline, but other pursuits in the town are booming, including shopping. Try Royal Garden Plaza or Central. They are really busy. At times many of the restaurants in the malls have queues to get a table.

Central being busy I will agree with but Royal Garden is like a ghost town.

[Pattaya46]

yes, and these are exactly the types that have no money and/or don't buy drinks at the bars.

they just walk up and down WS and gawk and stink everything up. is this a positive development?

Do you really think that "bars" business is important for Pattaya ? No.

Yes they only come in Walking Street to look at it, no to drink, to say friends home "I went there, yes"

but they spend a fair amount of money in places like shoppings and restaurants

don't really enjoy being around arrogant, rude, cheap, smelly people(nationalities undisclosed)

Brits ?

Central being busy I will agree with but Royal Garden is like a ghost town.

Look at it better; some clothes shops are very happy with there business in Royal Garden

[coutsa]

I think the old sex-tourist haunts like soi 7,8 etc are probably dying. Upmarket areas such as Central are very busy, at least during weekends. Pattaya seems to be changing.

In your dtreams, I've seen reports like this since 1992 and nothing changes. But the dreamers live on in eternal hope.

They can build all the chintzty shopping malls they like but nobody goes to Pattaya for the shopping.

Nobody.

I do a fair bit shopping in Patts! Also, I think Pattaya will change, but I am thinking quite the opposite of everyone else. I personally think it will get bigger and bigger. The types of turist will change to more families etc... The bar scene will still be there, but when/if the beach improves, Pattaya will get nothing but a more popular tourist destination.

My girlfriend and I, just got back and we had the best time. No need for the usual sex touristy stuff. We went to walking St most nights, partied there, shopping at Central etc and the restaurants etc are fantastic. Pattaya will continue to grow!

[bob4you]

I was out on WS last night(just to go to the disco). Crowded as usual with your typical cheap gawkers out gawking and not going into the bars(you can guess which nationalities )

I have no idea what the draw of WS is. I mean, really. If I wanted to get laid I'd head to Soi 6,7, or 8. Not Ripoff Street. And I'm not keen on rubbing shoulders with Russians and smelling rotten armpits.

Outside of WS, it's like a different world. I visited a gogo on Soi 6 and was the only guy in there for awhile. Some cheap charlies came in but didn't buy many drinks.

The only places on walking street doing good business are the 7-11's and Family Marts with the beer, Spy and whiskey to go.

[coutsa]

Lucifers was pumping as well.....

[doggie888888]

Pattaya is definately changing...it has done in the last 5 years alone,and a lot of people do go there to shop and enjoy the nightlife and restaurants.

Most people know that they are pushing most things back to soi baukaow and even 3rd now,the master plan is for when those Casinos can be built and incorporated into malls and hotels.

Then one day there will be more Thais there spending there gains than westerners...True i kid you not.

correct ,,,

european and american , visitors are becoming less , each year ..

indian , african ,russian and middle east . visitors.. are taking over..

times they are a changing ..

yes, and these are exactly the types that have no money and/or don't buy drinks at the bars. they just walk up and down WS and gawk and stink everything up. is this a positive development?

I noticed they had bulldozed a couple bar complexes b/n beach rd and 2nd road. This may very well be a trend. I suspect the bar scene will gradually move further east along with it's western clientelle. You will gradually see the city break up into ethnic zones, as Westerners don't really enjoy being around arrogant, rude, cheap, smelly people(nationalities undisclosed).

Yay! Let's get rid of arrogant, rude,. cheap, smelly people...although I suspect quite a few Westerners will be caught up as well

Oh while we are at it, let's get rid of bigots too (poster undisclosed).

[eljeque]

There are a lot of cars on the road today coming from BKK.

There is a lot o tension in the air there even away formt he troubled areas, so people simply want to get away from it.

[jeepster]

Pattaya has definately changed since i first went 20yrs ago ; At the time you were deemed to be a bit of an adventurer [or perv !!] to go to such a place . As I recall the baht /£ rate was similar to what it is now but everything was about a third of today,s prices .Then came the Asian Tiger crash and happy days [ for farang !] 75/80 bht £ common place for a few years and prices stayed pretty much the same . What really changed the place in my opinion was the decicion to go for the 18-30 club clientele and all the attendant problems . Suddenly the backpackers /Hippys and even quite a few of the old pervs were maginalised in favour of wall to wall football and Pig and Whisle[ real baked beanz] style entertainment . Word spread as the Asian world cup ended and the new breed of travellers got home and told their dick head mates about the cheap sun /sand /sex paradise that they could go and cause havok in for the same price as a 2 week holiday on the Med ...and make money too on dodgy designer gear in to the bargain.thereby allowing some pretty nasty types to stay as long as they wanted . Waking up too late , Pattaya decided to go upmarket and new visa laws and higher priced entertainment is making it harder to stay for any length of time . This combined with the current rate of the baht and the fact that the girls are asking crazy money is killing Pattaya at present . Where else in the world though can you still get a splendid appartment 15 mins freom the beach for around £150 a month ? Try doing that in Barcelona or any European city ..or beach resort [ A week in a crumby Blackpool bedsit will cost you double that ] and you will see why Pattaya will neve die ...it will just evolve as it has done over the past 20 odd years in to something I,m afraid the majority of us wont recognise or be able to afford .

[anotheruser]

I am in Pattaya now and it does seem to dead to me. The only reason I am here is to avoid BKK for a couple days until I have to catch my flight.I imagine I am not the only one doing this. I think the unrest has been good for Pattaya in some ways as I would not have spent any money in this dump otherwise.

[davethailand]

I am in Pattaya now and it does seem to dead to me. The only reason I am here is to avoid BKK for a couple days until I have to catch my flight.I imagine I am not the only one doing this. I think the unrest has been good for Pattaya in some ways as I would not have spent any money in this dump otherwise.

Why go to Pattaya for a few days if its a dump though?

There's Siracha, Chonburi or even the outskirts of BKK .

[sinkypalmer]

Hi there

its my first time going to thailand.. i'm going to spend a few days in pattaya from the 20th of may.. does anyone know if it is worth going there now?

is it dead or normal.. and whats the weather like?

thanks alot

[coutsa]

In my opinion it is ALWAYS worth going to Pattaya... No matter what the critics of Pattaya say, its a fun place and quite the holiday town.

Go and enjoy it...

But yes, there are alot of Arabs, Indians and Russians there.

[Dave the Dude]

In my opinion it is ALWAYS worth going to Pattaya... No matter what the critics of Pattaya say, its a fun place and quite the holiday town.

Go and enjoy it...

But yes, there are alot of Arabs, Indians and Russians there.

And it is NEVER normal

[PattayaParent]

Its ridiculous to say that just because people are spending less in the beer bars that Pattaya is quiet.

All it means is the beer bars industry is in decline, but other pursuits in the town are booming, including shopping. Try Royal Garden Plaza or Central. They are really busy. At times many of the restaurants in the malls have queues to get a table.

True, I was in Cabbages and Condoms on Saturday night and it was packed.

Every table was occupied or reserved and people were arriving as soon as a table emptied.

And it's a big place.

[coutsa]

We thought we would try Sizzler at Central, and it was always full. I couldnt believe it.

Sizzler was always considered quite scummy in Australia, but its thriving over there!

[Pakboong]

"It is so crowded, people don't go there any more."

Yogi Berra

[JSixpack]

It's relatively quiet these days because it's the low season and tourism to Thailand is even further down than usual for this time of year because of the political unrest and the fall in Western currencies. Traffic is much better!

The absence of farangs and of Chinese tour groups is obvious on Walking Street. Even so, some bars are doing well.

On the weekends, lots of Bangkok Thais come in and inevitably make for Central Festival. Traffic around there suffers accordingly.

You can't judge by this rather exceptional time. Things go in cycles anyway. The political unrest will end for a time; Western currencies will someday strengthen--and someday fall again.

Overall, though, Pattaya is doing well and will continue to grow for reasons other posters have noted. And as seafront land becomes more expensive, beer bars relocate. The development of Soi Buakow and on adjoining streets is phenomenal. Many tourists may not realize this fact because they stay on Beach and 2nd Rds and hit a few tourist sites like Nong Nooch.

Still, note the remodeling of the beer bars between Sois 13 and Yamoto. They're here to stay but going a bit upscale compared to what they were. Most would say that the old charm has been lost in that spot as in many others; some will prefer the new look.

Pattaya is merely changing to accommodate a broader range of visitor and resident than it did. It has always been dynamic. So it will continue to serve its traditional base, but less so on Beach Road in particular.

Such growth has its disadvantages as it always does, but the advantages to a larger number of people outweigh them.

[NanLaew]

I read a comment from one of those pseudo TWITter "reporters" on the daily red rampage news ticker saying that the roads to Pattaya were heaving. Apart from anotherw^nker (who didn't want to come anyway but notably drove past much nearer and arguably nicer destinations just so he could come to Pattaya and winge about it), are there more out-of-town locals about? You can easily spot them, they have Bangkok rego's and jam up the Pattaya Klang-Soi 9 area as they circle their "mall away from the madness".

PS I was planning being in Pattaya this Thursday but I have extended this little moneyspinner in Vietnam by a week so that's a handy extra $10k in the pocket! The Soi 6 wife will be soooo happy to see me.

[Phatcharanan]

The Soi 6 wife will be soooo happy to see me.

Doubt it.

She's in my kitchen cooking.

[thaibeachlovers]

Never seen it quieter all over.

No buses outside Mike's at 9pm! They must be suffering big time.

Walking Street quieter than I've ever seen it.

Most farang bars lucky to have 1 customer ( except some long time favourites ).

[Rimmer]

One post deleted, please note it is against forum rules to discuss the specifics of prostitution please see rule 18

[thaibeachlovers]

I know it's the weekend, but Central Festival was really busy today, mainly Thais. Never thought I'd see it so busy. Might prove me wrong, yet!

2nd Rd was pretty jammed, but mainly baht buses with hardly any passengers ( as usual ).

[tropo]

I think the old sex-tourist haunts like soi 7,8 etc are probably dying. Upmarket areas such as Central are very busy, at least during weekends. Pattaya seems to be changing.

The soothsayers have been proven wrong. Well into its second year Central hasn't gone broke and hasn't collapsed. In actual fact it seems to be attracting moneyed Thais to Pattaya to chase away the sex tourists.

[tropo]

yes, and these are exactly the types that have no money and/or don't buy drinks at the bars. they just walk up and down WS and gawk and stink everything up. is this a positive development?

For people who don't frequent bars this could be a very positive development.

I've heard this "bars are heading east" mantra for the 5 years I've been here yet they are still planted exacty where they've always been. I've seen no evidence of this easterly migration and bars in Soi Buakhao and certainly 3rd Road don't do well at all if they rely on foreign customers.

[Chaimai]

In my opinion it is ALWAYS worth going to Pattaya... No matter what the critics of Pattaya say, its a fun place and quite the holiday town.

Go and enjoy it...

But yes, there are alot of Arabs, Indians and Russians there.

And it is NEVER normal

Would that be a reflection of it's visitors Dave ?

[sokal]

I think the old sex-tourist haunts like soi 7,8 etc are probably dying. Upmarket areas such as Central are very busy, at least during weekends. Pattaya seems to be changing.

In your dtreams, I've seen reports like this since 1992 and nothing changes. But the dreamers live on in eternal hope.

They can build all the chintzty shopping malls they like but nobody goes to Pattaya for the shopping.

Nobody.

Its a world class resort, I go there for the cheap street bikes and jet skis.

[sokal]

Pattaya has definately changed since i first went 20yrs ago ; At the time you were deemed to be a bit of an adventurer [or perv !!] to go to such a place . As I recall the baht /£ rate was similar to what it is now but everything was about a third of today,s prices .Then came the Asian Tiger crash and happy days [ for farang !] 75/80 bht £ common place for a few years and prices stayed pretty much the same . What really changed the place in my opinion was the decicion to go for the 18-30 club clientele and all the attendant problems . Suddenly the backpackers /Hippys and even quite a few of the old pervs were maginalised in favour of wall to wall football and Pig and Whisle[ real baked beanz] style entertainment . Word spread as the Asian world cup ended and the new breed of travellers got home and told their dick head mates about the cheap sun /sand /sex paradise that they could go and cause havok in for the same price as a 2 week holiday on the Med ...and make money too on dodgy designer gear in to the bargain.thereby allowing some pretty nasty types to stay as long as they wanted . Waking up too late , Pattaya decided to go upmarket and new visa laws and higher priced entertainment is making it harder to stay for any length of time . This combined with the current rate of the baht and the fact that the girls are asking crazy money is killing Pattaya at present . Where else in the world though can you still get a splendid appartment 15 mins freom the beach for around £150 a month ? Try doing that in Barcelona or any European city ..or beach resort [ A week in a crumby Blackpool bedsit will cost you double that ] and you will see why Pattaya will neve die ...it will just evolve as it has done over the past 20 odd years in to something I,m afraid the majority of us wont recognise or be able to afford .

Are you suggesting that one of those new condo developments will be a decent investment over the years ?

Maybe, I dunno. I was looking at a new studio called the Koral. Brand new condo with modern furnishing for a whopping 750,000 bht. Thats beer money.